Various industries have a need for an air treatment enclosure such as an enclosure which has a compressor for compressing air or other gases. Uses of such enclosures could include, for example, waste treatment assemblies wherein the bubbling of oxygen would increase the sewage capacity. Other uses include aquaculture where the bubbling oxygen is directed to a fish pond catch to increase the number of fish or shrimp. Other uses would include various industrial uses and in the production of medical oxygen.
Frequently the components in such enclosures are quite noisy in operation. In addition, a relatively great amount of heat may be generated which could cause dangerous conditions where proper care is not taken. Such enclosures also may operate with varying degrees of efficiency.
An object of this invention is to provide an air treatment enclosure wherein the components within the enclosure operate in a simple and effective manner.
A further object of this invention is to provide such an enclosure which minimizes noise and heat.
In accordance with this invention the air treatment enclosure comprises a housing having side walls, a bottom wall and a top wall. The housing includes a fresh air inlet. Within the housing is a positive displacement blower and an air flow unit such as a valve. A base manifold connects the valve to the blower. An air treatment assembly which preferably includes a heat exchanger and its related piping is in flow communication with the blower to treat the air, such as by the blower compressing the air. The air treatment assembly is also in flow communication with the air flow unit or valve. An outlet passage is connected to the air flow unit and extends externally of the housing. Fresh air would flow into the housing and into the air flow unit, then through the base manifold and then into the blower. The air would then be treated by the air treatment assembly and the treated air would flow back into the air flow unit to be discharged to a location external of the housing in accordance with the desired end use of the treated air or other gas.
In a preferred practice of the invention the air flow unit or valve has a nipple extending below the bottom wall of the housing. Similarly, the positive displacement blower has a nipple extending below the bottom wall. The base manifold is also located below the bottom wall to create communication between the valve and the blower. As a result the base manifold also functions as an acoustic chamber which permits the elimination of a special silencer that might otherwise be desired or required.
The housing also preferably includes a fan for drawing in the fresh air and for cooling the blower. Preferably the fan and blower are connected by a belt drive so that both may be driven by a single motor. The fan preferably directs fresh air into an L-shaped plenum. The heat exchanger may be mounted in one leg of the L-shaped plenum so that the air flowing through the plenum would function to cool the heat exchanger. Air from the plenum could then be discharged to the atmosphere.
In a preferred practice of the invention the various walls are detachably connected together so as to create a number of individual subassemblies. One such subassembly would include the two adjacent walls having the L-shaped plenum and the heat exchanger, as well as the bottom wall which would contain most of the components. Alternately each of the four side walls and the top wall and the bottom wall could be a separate subassembly. The outer walls of the L-shaped plenum could be separated into separate sections which form the L-shape when their walls are secured together. Thus, when the remaining walls are detached there is ready access to the interior of the housing.